chess online

I really have no words for this puzzle. I'm not a fan of the mate-in-double-digits puzzles, but I felt compelled to solve it. I succeeded eventually...

When I first looked at this puzzle I considered passing on it because of the ridiculous piece count. My first reaction was, What exactly is the purpose of the four pieces in the corner?

But I worked on it a bit and really enjoyed working through the ways to force the mate with the two Knights.

I then tried to tidy up the puzzle by deleting the 4 pieces in the corner.

If you remove the four pieces in the corner, the position becomes a mate in 6 and there's more than one solution at move 5. So they do serve a real purpose after all!

I give it:

4.5 Stars difficulty
4 Stars Aesthetics. I still don't like the artificial feel of the position, but at least every piece has a purpose.

I solved it with 2 misses, but I think we are allowed 3 misses total before solving a puzzle and have it be "successfully solved".

Honestly people after white moves kf4 there is no way black moves that knight. Black take that free piece with that pawn. I know you see it. I can't be alone???

@doubleeg_xent: I don't know if you're talking about 2. Nf4 Nb4 but if you do, how else do you think that black should save himself from 3. Nd3#?

If you would mean 8. Nf4 Nc5 the same thing would apply, on 9. Nd3# would mate if black wouldn't make that Knight-move.

If you are the only one who can see one thing, don't you think that you're the one who missed something?

I'll ask the same question as I did at the beginning: "Do you know which way the board is turned?"... !!!

The black pawn can't capture the knight since the black pawns are moving the other way.